SHARE Virtual Summer Apprenticeships

Program Overview

The SHARE Virtual Research Apprenticeship program provides early career undergraduates majoring in social sciences, humanities, and arts fields with an opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on a research project over the summer. These meaningful learning experiences allow students to develop foundational research skills that they can build on as they progress through their academic career, as well as to establish mentoring relationships with faculty in their discipline.

Research apprentices commit to working on a faculty mentor’s project over the course of the summer, with project weeks and hours per week to be determined in collaboration with the faculty mentor. All project work will be conducted remotely. Research apprentices earn up to $1,425, paid as hourly wages, and faculty mentors receive a $500 professional development award in recognition of their mentorship. To earn the full $1,425 award, apprentices will need to work approximately 90 hours over the course of the summer.

Examples of SHARE apprentice duties may include, but are not limited to conducting literature reviews, assisting in designing a study or experiment, developing creative content, coding and/or analyzing data, and conducting and/or transcribing interviews.

Applications are closed for the summer 2024 apprenticeships. Please check back in fall 2024 for updates on the summer 2025 apprenticeships.

Summer 2024 Apprenticeships

The Summer 2024 apprenticeships are closed. The listings below are for reference purposes only.

Faculty Mentor Opportunity Link
Dr. Zehra Arat
Political Science
Click Here
Dr. Melisa Argañaraz Gomez
Urban and Community Studies
Click Here
Dr. Frederick Biggs
English
Click Here
Dr. Peter Chen
Geography
Click Here
Dr. Kevin Ferreira van Leer
Human Development and Family Sciences
Click Here
Dr. Derek Houston
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Click Here
Dr. Crystal Park
Psychological Sciences
Click Here
Dr. Mars Plater
History
Click Here
Dr. Sarah Rendón García
Human Development and Family Sciences
Click Here
Dr. Nathaniel Rickles
Pharmacy
Click Here
Dr. Frederick Roden
English
Click Here
Dr. Michael Rubin
Political Science, Human Rights Institute
Click Here
Prof. Jennifer Scapetis Tycer
Dramatic Arts
Click Here
Dr. Ingrid Semaan
Sociology
Click Here
Dr. Sudha Srinivasan
Kinesiology
Click Here
Prof. Vincent Tycer
Dramatic Arts
Click Here
Dr. Molly Waring
Allied Health Sciences
Click Here
Dr. Sarah Willen
Anthropology
Click Here
Prof. Ting Zhou
Digital Media & Design
Click Here

Eligibility and Award Terms

Eligibility and Award Terms

To be eligible to apply, a student applicant must:

  • Be majoring or pre-majoring in social sciences, humanities, or arts field at any UConn campus.
  • Be a first-, second-, or third-year undergraduate student.
  • Be in good academic standing at the time of application and remain in good academic standing while participating in the program.
  • Be eligible for on-campus employment. International students interested in the SHARE program should consult with the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) Office for information on their eligibility for employment on-campus.

Please reach out to Melissa Berkey (melissa.berkey@uconn.edu) if you have questions on eligibility.

You do not need prior research experience to apply for a SHARE apprenticeship. This program prioritizes early career students with little or no prior research experience. Students from underrepresented backgrounds and 1st generation students are encouraged to apply.

The goal of this program is to foster new student-faculty connections. As part of the award conditions, faculty mentors are asked to select a student they are not currently working with and/or have not previously worked with in a research capacity.

Students are only eligible to participate in the SHARE program once during their time at UConn. Students who have held a SHARE apprenticeship in a previous summer cannot apply for a second apprenticeship. In addition, students are limited to one SHARE apprenticeship in a summer. Students selected for multiple apprenticeships will be asked to choose which apprenticeship they want to accept.

Award Terms:

  • Apprentices will earn up to $1,425, paid as hourly wages, for work on the SHARE project. Apprentices will be paid on a bi-weekly basis through normal payroll procedures. To earn the full $1,425 award, apprentices will need to work approximately 90 hours over the course of the summer.
  • Apprentices agree to complete a reflection at the start of the apprenticeship and at mid-point, and to submit an end-of-summer reflection to the Office of Undergraduate Research at the conclusion of the apprenticeship.
  • Apprentices agree to present at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition the fall or spring following the apprenticeship.

Please note: All students hired for a SHARE Summer apprenticeship must complete a federal I-9 form and present original documents in person to OUR staff as part of the hiring process. Visit this U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services page for more information about acceptable documents. You cannot begin working until this is complete. Students are encouraged to plan ahead for this. For example, if you are going home for spring break, consider bringing documents back to campus with you.

Dates & Deadlines

Dates & Deadlines

Summer 2024 apprenticeship descriptions will be posted on the SHARE Virtual Summer Apprenticeship program website and applications will open to students in early March 2024.

The application deadline is Friday, March 22, 2024. Application reviews will begin after the application deadline.

Faculty may choose to interview select applicants before making decisions. Faculty submit their apprentice selections to the OUR. The OUR will extend offers to applicants. Applicants who are not selected will be notified of their application status once the apprenticeship has been filled.

Apprentices will coordinate their summer apprenticeship start date and schedule with faculty mentors. Project work can begin once the spring semester has ended (no earlier than Monday, May 6, 2024). SHARE apprenticeships must be completed before the fall semester begins (no later than Thursday, August 22, 2024).

Apprentices will complete reflections at the start of the apprenticeship, at mid-point, and at the conclusion of the apprenticeship. SHARE apprentices will also present at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition in the fall or spring following the apprenticeship.

Preparing an Application

Preparing an Application

Applications are submitted via the Quest Portal link found in each position description. You can apply to all the apprenticeships that align with your goals and interests.

There is a standard set of application questions that all applicants will be required to answer. Click here to view an outline of the online application. Faculty may also elect to add an additional question specific to their apprenticeship. If there are additional questions, they will be noted in the apprenticeship descriptions.

Please make sure to review the program eligibility requirements prior to applying. Applications from students who do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered.

Tips for Success

Read the apprenticeship description carefully and review the faculty mentor's bio to learn more about them and their research or creative expertise. Use this information to prepare a detailed answer explaining your interest in working with them. Consider the following questions to help you elaborate on your interest in the apprenticeship:

  • Why are you interested in the specific research topic or creative project the faculty member is engaged in. What sparked the interest in this topic?
  • Have you taken classes related to the topic or project? Have you engaged in self-directed study related to the topic or project? How did the course(s) or your self-directed study shape your interests?
  • Do you have a personal connection to the topic? If so, explain that connection.
  • How does this apprenticeship fit with the direction you're going? This can include your academic goals, personal goals, or professional goals.
    • If you're not sure what your goals are at this point in your academic journey, that's OK! One benefit of an apprenticeship is to help you test the waters and determine if research is something you enjoy and want to incorporate into your future plans.

Review the preferred qualifications listed in the apprenticeship description. Make sure to incorporate those qualifications into your answers to any of the standard application questions. When incorporating your qualifications, you are encouraged to go beyond simply stating you have a particular skill set. You are encouraged to elaborate and explain how you've developed or used the skills and qualifications.

FAQs

FAQs

I'm not sure if I'm in an eligible major. Who can help me determine if I'm eligible to apply?
I'm minoring in a social sciences, humanities, or arts field, am I still eligible to apply?
Can I take summer classes or hold a job/internship while completing the research apprenticeship?
I participated in SHARE last summer; can I apply again this summer?
I'm interested in multiple SHARE apprenticeships. Can I work with more than one mentor in the summer?
How many hours will I be expected to work each week?
Can I keep working on the project after the summer?
I'm already working with a faculty mentor in a social science, humanities, or arts discipline; can I apply for this to fund my summer research with my faculty mentor?
Who should I contact with questions about the SHARE Virtual Summer Apprenticeships?

I'm not sure if I'm in an eligible major. Who can help me determine if I'm eligible to apply?

There are a number of interdisciplinary majors that span academic fields. If you're unsure if your major is SHARE eligible, please contact Melissa Berkey (melissa.berkey@uconn.edu) to discuss your eligibility.

I'm minoring in a social sciences, humanities, or arts field, am I still eligible to apply?

No, eligibility does not extend to students who are minoring in a social sciences, humanities, or arts field; you must be majoring or pre-majoring in an eligible field. If you have questions about eligibility, please contact Melissa Berkey at melissa.berkey@uconn.edu.

Can I take summer classes or hold a job/internship while completing the research apprenticeship?

The apprenticeship can leave room for students to engage in other activities over the summer. Applicants should review the time commitment and work week preferences indicated by the faculty mentor in their position description to determine if there may be a conflict. Before accepting an apprenticeship, students are encouraged to discuss any prior commitments with faculty mentors to assure there are no conflicts.

I participated in SHARE last summer; can I apply again this summer?

You are only eligible to participate in the SHARE Apprenticeship Program once during your time at UConn. If you held a SHARE apprenticeship in a previous summer, you are not eligible to participate in the SHARE program again in future summers.

I'm interested in multiple SHARE apprenticeships. Can I work with more than one mentor in the summer?

You can apply for as many apprenticeships as you are interested in. Students are limited to participating in one SHARE apprenticeship in a summer. If selected for multiple apprenticeships, you will be asked to choose which apprenticeship you want to accept.

How many hours will I be expected to work each week?

To earn the full $1,400 award, apprentices will need to work approximately 90 hours over the course of the summer. The apprenticeship hours per week will vary based on the needs and preferences of the faculty mentor. Applicants are encouraged to review the time commitment and work week preferences indicated by the faculty mentor in their position description to assure any other commitments will not conflict with the apprenticeship. Before accepting an apprenticeship, students are encouraged to discuss any prior commitments with faculty mentors to assure there are no conflicts.

Can I keep working on the project after the summer?

Once the SHARE apprenticeship is complete, it will be at the discretion of the faculty mentor to determine if there are opportunities for the student to continue assisting with the project. We hope that these apprenticeships grow into longer-term engagement in research, whether it be through students continuing to work with their faculty mentor on the mentor's research or through students pursing their own research projects.

I'm already working with a faculty mentor in a social science, humanities, or arts discipline; can I apply for this to fund my summer research with my faculty mentor?

No, this program cannot fund the continuation of ongoing student-faculty research collaborations. The goal of this program is to foster new student-faculty connections and to provide students with little or no prior research experience an opportunity to gain valuable exposure to the research process. As part of the award conditions, faculty mentors are asked to select a student they are not currently working with and/or have not previously worked with in a research capacity.

Who should I contact with questions about the SHARE Virtual Summer Apprenticeships?

Questions about the SHARE Virtual Summer Apprenticeships should be directed to Melissa Berkey (melissa.berkey@uconn.edu) in the Office of Undergraduate Research.